After 11 years of our sister paper, The Longboat Observer, publishing its annual April Fools’ issue, The Sarasota Observer decided it was time to get in on the action.
In case you haven’t figured out by now, the stories on pages 1-4 are not true. No, the town’s bayfront-connectivity plan will not include a figure eight of roundabouts or an additional 11 roundabouts, and, no, the “Unconditional Surrender” statue is not moving to St. Armands Circle.
Sarasota has not been renamed to “Googlesota” and the trolley will remain at its current speed. And last, but not least, the police department will remain under the leadership of Police Chief Peter Abbott.
To read our April Fools' content, click on the headlines below:
Bayfront roundabouts to number 17 in total
Circle embraces historic statue
Sarasota now officially ‘Googlesota’
High-speed streetcar coming to Main Street
Police panel takes over department
Sarasota at a loss for more words
Consultant-hiring consultant hired
Where the sidewalk ends
Former mayors take matter into their own hands
Art Whisperer’s job goes to the dogs
The goal of these stories is to make you laugh, and we hope you were able to find the humor in this holiday.
Happy reading!
Currently 3 Responses
- 1.
- Based on the above comments, the staff did a very good job with the stories. I for one was not fooled for a moment but I do have a question. Will the City still be eligible for the light rail grant even if the trolley's average speed is less than fifty miles per hour, which in my opinion is too fast anyhow. With all the people walking around and crossing in front of me when you get past (west of) Orange it's hard to maintain 35 nevermind 50.
- 2.
- i found no humor in this joke. many people believed this without looking any further, many seniors were upset and i hope you become serious about. rumors spread and the joke explanation was in small print
- 3.
- Wow! I got fooled big time! I am in the hiring process to become a Police Officer with the City of Sarasota and when I read the section on your April Fool's front page about Susan Chapman being my future boss, I slammed the paper down in anger and couldn't even turn the page to figure out you were just jesting. I went on a rant for about 5 minutes before I could turn the page- LOL! Thankfully this was just a joke.
- May
21 Live It Up! with Parkinsons
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - May
21 Humanity Working to End Genocide meeting
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm - May
21 Cat Depot: Volunteer Orientation and Cat Socialization Level 1 Training
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - May
22 Voice Aerobics with Mary Spremulli, MA, CCC-SLP
10:00 am - 11:00 am
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Culinary roots
05/16/13
Trevor Kunk is the chef de cuisine at Blue Hill in New York City’s Greenwich Village, which the James Beard Foundation just named "most outstanding restaurant." -
Bright lights
05/16/13
Sarasota native and resident Bri Oliva made her TV debut May 7, on the "Rachael Ray Show." Oliva was selected to participate in a segment called "Hidden Dangers on the Playground." -
Key to the city
05/02/13
More than 100 community members and leaders, friends and family surprised Paul Thorpe, one of the founding members of the Downtown Association of Sarasota, April 25, at The Gator Club, to show their appreciation and celebrate the strides he’s made for Sarasota over the past four decades.
